The success of Chuao Cocoa Bean

By E.C.V. & ASOCIADOS

The climate, geography and human resources in the sea-locked part of the Aragua valley in the north of Venezuela combine to produce first class criollo cocoa. Among all the varieties of cocoa, criollo is often referred to as the most noble and is used as the basis for some of the finest chocolates in the world. In the plantation of Chuao, one of the first villages founded in Venezuela in the middle of the sixteenth century, unique soil conditions and a microclimate including high equatorial humidity and heavy rains (that wash rich and fertile silt down the mountainsides into the 140-hectare plantation) create perfect cocoa growing conditions.

This enables a skilled, geographically-isolated population, whose life has centered on cocoa production for more than 300 years, to coax a high-quality bean from the criollo. Although said to give the most subtle, sweet and complex beans, criollo trees are very difficult to farm and are particularly susceptible to disease. Expert caring and specific geographic conditions are essential for coaxing the high-quality beans from these trees which are the least productive of all cocoa varieties.

In order to protect this considerable national asset, an application (No. 00-14373) for recognition of Chuao as an appellation of origin (AO) was filed in Venezuela on August 10, 2000 by Campesina. The Declaration of Recognition was granted and published in the Official Journal of Industrial Property of Venezuela in November 2000. The grant protects the name Chuao and restricts its use to beans and cocoa products from that specifically defined geographical area, recognizing the influence of climatic and human factors on the quality of those products.

The recognized quality and protection of Chuao cocoa allowed the Campesina cooperative to work out an agreement in 2000 with a chocolate company – Amedei s.r.l. of Italy – for supplying cocoa. Under the deal, Amedei receives the entire production of Chuao cocoa from Campesina. Campesina has benefitted from increased earnings from its product and from the chocolate company also having taken over the debts of the cooperative.

Following the agreement with Campesina, Amedei sought further protection for the name "Chuao" by registering it as a trademark through the Madrid system. The Italian company now is famous for its Chuao brand dark chocolates. Valrhona, a French chocolate company that used to produce Chuao brand chocolates stopped using the name after Amedei made the registration. Prior to the registration of the AO, "Chuao" was often used by some chocolate producers even though the cacao was not from Campesina. The AO protection has also reduced the instances of such uses of the Chuao name.